Boeren met GIJS

What Boeren met GIJS does

Boeren met GIJS (legal entity Gelre IJsselstreek BV, founded February 2012) is a Dutch animal feed and farm advisory company headquartered in Azewijn, Gelderland, operating primarily in Oost-Nederland with cross-border activity into Germany. It was formed when founders Erik Reefhuis, André Lobbert, and Hendrik Jan Evers spun out of Hendrix UTD ahead of its acquisition by ForFarmers. The company designs custom compound feed for dairy cattle and goats and outsources production to a network of external compound feed factories across the Netherlands and Belgium (an asset-light model explicitly chosen to avoid manufacturing capex), with logistics handled by a dedicated expedition team. Distribution is via direct field sales — stall nutritionists and species specialists visit farms in person to formulate rations — supplemented by the PrijsWijs self-service pricing tool, the GIJS webshop for branded merchandise, and a Melkmonitor portal (Agrovision) for milk data.

The product portfolio spans core compound feed (GIJS Rundveevoer for dairy cattle; GIJS Geitenvoer for dairy goats), a wide range of supplements and additives (Klauwen Mineraal, Zomer Boost, Ruwvezelverdringer, BufferBooster, TransPROcal/lik, Lammerenmelk variants with the licensed OmniSmart ingredient from Nukamel, Fokbokkenbrok, Cupido/Amour), single raw materials (beet pulp, palm kernel, rapeseed meal, soy, wheat, corn), and agro supplies (seeds, fertilizers, silage products). Two wholly-owned innovation centres generate proprietary research data: GIJS Mekkerhof in Holten (1,000 dairy goats, opened 2018) and MIC Klaver 4 in Laren (450 dairy cows, opened 2021). A subsidiary, Promelk, brokers phosphate and dairy production rights between farmers.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based feed and raw material sales, integrated advisory services, production-rights brokerage commissions, and minor branded merchandise sales. The customer base is overwhelmingly SMB dairy and goat farmers across the Netherlands (with cited ~14% market share in Oost-Nederland dairy farming, #3 in Dutch goat feed, and #2 in German goat feed), plus a small number of larger enterprise goat dairies in Germany and Belgium. The pig feed line was divested to ABZ Diervoeding as a deliberate focus move. The company is founder-owned (Erik Reefhuis as owner, Joost Alssema as Algemeen Directeur), privately held, and reports no external investors.

Name

Boeren met GIJS

Legal name

Gelre IJsselstreek BV

Website

https://metgijs.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Boeren met GIJS is a Dutch feed design and farm advisory company founded in 2012, serving dairy cattle and goat farmers in Oost-Nederland, Germany, and Belgium with custom compound feed, supplements, raw materials, and innovation-centre-backed advisory services through an asset-light, field-sales-led model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Feed and Livestock Advisory Services

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (3111), Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (11212), Sheep and Goat Farming (1124), Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42491)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Farm Custom Ration Formulation (TMR/PMR, Species-Specific) (AFADAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Nutrition & Feeding Support Services (On-Farm Feeding, Feed Management) (AFAEALAJ), Livestock & Herd/Flock Operations Management Advisory (Nutrition, Housing, Performance) (AFACAJAL), Byproduct & Co-Product Feed Blending (DDGS, soybean hulls, wheat midds) (AFADAIAG), TMR/Complete Rations & Pelleted Ruminant Feeds (AFADAAAI)

Keywords

• Dairy cattle nutrition
• Goat feed advisory
• Compound feed supply
• Livestock advisory services
• Farm nutrition consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Azewijn

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Compound feed sales (custom & standard): Core revenue from selling compound feed, concentrates, and supplemental feeds for dairy cattle and goats. GIJS designs custom feed compositions per farm, produced by external partner factories, and delivered via contracted logistics.
2. Raw materials trading (enkelvoudige grondstoffen): GIJS trades in single-ingredient raw materials (beet pulp, palm kernel, rapeseed meal, barley, soy, wheat, corn) for animal feed, procured and sold based on market timing.
3. Advisory and consultancy services: Advisory services on farm management, feed rations, transition management, manure and minerals, and regulatory compliance, integrated into the feed sales relationship.
4. Branded merchandise (webshop): Branded clothing and farm merchandise sold through the GIJS webshop, priced in GIJSjes loyalty credits (1 GIJSje = 1 EUR) or via iDEAL payment.
5. Promelk - phosphate and production rights brokerage: Promelk, a subsidiary of GIJS, brokers phosphate and dairy production rights between farmers, earning commissions on transactions facilitated between livestock farmers.
6. Agro supplies (seeds, fertilizers, silage products): Sale of agricultural inputs including grass seeds, maize seeds, fertilizers, silage films, and green manure seeds to arable farmers in the region.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Boeren met GIJS designs and supplies custom compound feed for dairy cattle and dairy goat farmers, outsourcing production to selected external feed factories across the Netherlands and Belgium. The company delivers on-farm advisory through specialist field teams and stall nutritionists who formulate rations per farm, alongside specialty feed programs for kid rearing, transition, breeding, and rumen health. Supporting offerings include single raw materials (grondstoffen), agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, silage products), production-rights brokerage (Promelk), and two own innovation centres (Mekkerhof and MIC Klaver 4) for feed research.

Product overview

GIJS (Gelre IJsselstreek) is a Dutch feed and advisory company for dairy cattle and goats that operates without its own manufacturing facility, instead utilizing excess capacity from third-party feed factories across the Netherlands and Belgium. The core product portfolio consists of: (1) GIJS Rundveevoer - feed solutions for dairy cattle including concentrates, supplements (GIJS Klauwen Mineraal, GIJS Zomer Boost, GIJS Ruwvezelverdringer, GIJS Mega Mais Boost, GIJS ProtiPEP4 brok), and management tools (GIJS Pensfitheid Index, GIJS Voer-Management-Index/GVMI); (2) GIJS Geitenvoer - complete feed range for goats including milk powders (GIJS Lammerenmelk Elan/Passie/Perspectief/Tempo), transition solutions (GIJS TransPROcal/TransPROlik), and specialty supplements (GIJS BufferBooster, GIJS Geiten Gras, GIJS Granenmengsels, GIJS Lammeren Veerkracht). The company operates through two innovation centers - GIJS Mekkerhof (goat innovation center) and MIC Klaver 4 (dairy cattle innovation center) - where feed research is conducted and new formulations are developed. Supporting services include Promelk for phosphate and production rights trading, PrijsWijs for pricing analysis, and raw material supply (Enkelvoudige Grondstoffen). The company was founded in 2012 and serves customers primarily in the eastern Netherlands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GIJS Rundveevoer / Melkvee Rundveevoer Complete feed solutions for dairy cattle including concentrates, roughage optimisation, and on-farm ration formulation services delivered by specialist nutritionists visiting farms. Designed for dairy farmers seeking optimal milk production.
• GIJS Geitenvoer / Melkgeiten voer Complete feed solutions for dairy goats including concentrates, milk powders, and specialty feeds. VLOG-certified non-GMO formulations. Designed for Dutch and German dairy goat farmers.
• GIJS Lammerenopfok / Totaal Aanpak Lammeren Comprehensive kid goat rearing program including GIJS Lammerenmelk products (Elan, Passie, Perspectief, Tempo), GIJS Granenmengsels, and specialty supplements for optimal rumen development in young animals.
• GIJS TransPRO Aanpak Transition period management solution for goats with GIJS TransPROcal (powder) and GIJS TransPROlik (liquid) products designed for maximum dry matter intake and high energy density during the transition period around kidding.
• Enkelvoudige Grondstoffen (Single Raw Materials) Single raw materials including beet pulp, palm kernel, rapeseed expellers, barley, soy, soy hulls, pulp, wheat, rapeseed meal, and corn sold to livestock farmers in ground, cracked, or whole form.
• Agro Producten (Zaaizaden, Meststoffen, Inkuilmiddelen) Agricultural supplies including seeds, fertilizers, and silage additives for arable farming customers. Includes specialist expertise in grain intake/processing and new crops such as sorghum, lupines, and intercropping.
• Promelk Wholly-owned subsidiary of GIJS that facilitates buying, selling, leasing, and lending of phosphate and dairy production rights between livestock farmers, earning commissions on transactions.
• PrijsWijs Prijscheck Service Online service allowing customers to upload delivery notes and receive current pricing information on feed compositions, including daily and forward pricing options. Functions as a digital lead-generation and self-service entry point.
• GIJS Mekkerhof (Geiten Innovatie Centrum) First goat innovation centre in Europe, a facility with 1,000 milking goats used for feed research, daily milk yield and feed intake measurement, and development of effective feed compositions. Open for excursions, studies, and education.
• MIC Klaver 4 (Melkvee Innovatie Centrum) Dairy cattle innovation centre with 450 milking cows in Laren combining research, innovation, and practice to develop sustainable and healthy feed for the dairy sector.
• GIJS Merchandise Webshop Online store selling GIJS branded merchandise including clothing (polo shirts, hoodies, sweaters), accessories (hats, fleece caps), and workwear (clogs, work overalls). Provides brand visibility and uses the GIJSjes loyalty credit system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Market share of ~14% in dairy farming in Oost-Nederland; #3 in Dutch goat sector and #2 in Germany
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• External compound feed factories (selected)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 February 2012GIJS works with a network of external compound feed factories (overcapacity partners) in the Netherlands and Belgium. GIJS designs the composition; the factory produces the feed. This enables maximum flexibility in formulation and pricing without capital investment in manufacturing. Named partners include Voerfabriek Zuid.
• NukamelcoreTechnology or IntegrationGIJS co-developed goat milk powders with Nukamel, incorporating the patented OmniSmart ingredient. Nukamel is the exclusive supplier of OmniSmart for GIJS goat milk powder formulations.
• DenkavitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGIJS is an authorised dealer of Denkavit goat kid products, expanding the product range available to goat farmers beyond GIJS' own formulations.
• VLOG (Verband Lebensmittel Ohne Gentechnik)minorOthersAll GIJS goat feed is VLOG-certified (non-GMO), meeting German standards for genetically modified organism-free animal production. Required for customers supplying VLOG-compliant dairy.
• Voerfabriek ZuidcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerProduces GIJS goat feed for the German market (including the Jena farm). Feed is checked and supervised during loading to ensure consistent quality. Named as the production partner for cross-border goat feed supply.
• PromelkcoreOthersPromelk is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GIJS that brokers phosphate and dairy production rights between farmers. GIJS controls this entity to offer integrated service to its farmer customers.
• ABZ DiervoedingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGIJS transferred its pig feed business to ABZ Diervoeding. The pig feed product line (previously part of the original business from Hendrix UTD) was sold to ABZ Diervoeding when GIJS exited the pig sector.
• Melkvee Innovatie Centrum Klaver 4 (Laren)coreOthersMIC Klaver 4 in Laren is a joint practical research farm with 450 dairy cows, used for feed research and innovation. Part of the GIJS own innovation infrastructure alongside the Mekkerhof.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Trouw Nutrition: Nutreco's livestock feed and advisory subsidiary, active across dairy nutrition, premixes, and on-farm advisory. Comparable to GIJS in combining feed products with nutritional advisory for dairy farmers, though operating globally with owned technology platforms.
• ForFarmers: Largest feed producer in the Netherlands and the company from which GIJS's founders split (Hendrix UTD → ForFarmers). Comparable on dairy cattle feed, with national coverage, owned factories, and a full advisory footprint — directly competing for GIJS's customer base in Oost-Nederland.
• De Heus Animal Nutrition: Major Dutch animal feed producer with international presence, serving dairy cattle and other livestock with compound feed and advisory. Comparable to GIJS's core ruminant feed offering but operates owned factories and serves multiple species and geographies.
• Nutreco: Global animal nutrition group (parent of Trouw Nutrition) operating across livestock species with owned R&D and premix facilities. Comparable at the category level (animal feed, ruminant nutrition, premixes) but at vastly larger scale and global footprint; GIJS sits in Nutreco's TAM.
• Cargill Animal Nutrition: Global animal feed and premix producer with a strong European presence in dairy cattle nutrition. Comparable on compound feed and nutritional services for dairy farmers but at enterprise scale with owned mills and global supply chains.

Others

• Nukamel: Belgian supplier of young-animal milk replacers and patented ingredients (including OmniSmart, exclusively licensed to GIJS for goat milk powders). Comparable as an adjacent supplier of nutritional technology rather than a competing feed brand; GIJS is a customer and co-developer.
• Denkavit: Dutch specialist in calf milk replacers and young animal nutrition; GIJS is an authorized dealer of Denkavit goat kid products. Comparable as an adjacent player in young-ruminant nutrition and a channel/technology partner, rather than a direct feed-formulation competitor.

Direct peers

• Agrifirm: Dutch agricultural cooperative that operates compound feed factories used by GIJS's founders after their 2012 split. Comparable on compound feed for dairy cattle, raw materials trading, and Dutch/German advisory — overlapping customer base and product range, though at far greater scale.
• ABZ Diervoeding: Dutch compound feed cooperative that acquired GIJS's pig-feed business when GIJS exited that segment. Directly comparable as a Dutch regional/national feed company with own production facilities, overlapping customer base, and similar advisory-led go-to-market for Dutch dairy farmers.
• Voerfabriek Zuid: Named GIJS production partner for goat feed delivered to Germany (Jena). Comparable as a Dutch compound feed producer serving dairy cattle and goats with custom formulations — direct operational overlap with GIJS as both a peer and a production partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gijsvoeders
• Facebookfacebook.com/metgijs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boeren-met-gijs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Boeren met GIJS